Chapter 8 - The Boathouse
Julian grabbed his keys and ran out to his garage.
He knew exactly where Sarah was taking their daughter.
The old boathouse on Lake Mercer was where the accident had happened five years ago.
He jumped into his sports car and slammed his foot on the gas pedal.
The tires squealed as he sped down the dark, winding country roads.
His mind raced, piecing together the horrifying puzzle of his life.
Vanessa hadn't just comforted him after Sarah's death.
She had actively orchestrated the entire tragedy to take her place.
And Marcus had likely helped her fund the entire operation.
Rain began to pour from the sky, making the slick roads incredibly dangerous.
Julian didn't slow down, driven by pure adrenaline and a father's protective rage.
After thirty agonizing minutes, he finally saw the lake shimmering in the moonlight.
The dilapidated boathouse stood silently at the end of a long, wooden pier.
A single, dim light glowed from a window inside the rotting structure.
Julian parked his car far away and quietly crept toward the building.
He pulled a heavy flashlight from his jacket to use as a makeshift weapon.
As he got closer, he could hear the sound of soft voices speaking inside.
He peeked through a crack in the damp, wooden siding.
He saw Sarah kneeling on the floor, gently wrapping a bandage around Elena's raw hands.
She looked older, scarred, but fiercely beautiful.
Julian moved toward the door, ready to reunite with his lost love.
Suddenly, the cold, steel barrel of a gun was pressed hard against the back of his neck.
"Going somewhere, Julian?" Marcus whispered into his ear.
Chapter09: The Trap Sprung
Julian froze completely, the cold metal digging painfully into his spine.
"How did you find me?" Julian asked, keeping his voice as steady as possible.
"We put a tracker on your car months ago," Marcus laughed cruelly.
"Vanessa always likes to be ten steps ahead of everyone else."
Marcus shoved Julian roughly toward the boathouse door.
"Open it," Marcus commanded, cocking the weapon.
Julian kicked the heavy door open and stumbled into the dimly lit room.
Sarah jumped up, shielding Elena behind her own body.
When Sarah saw Marcus, her eyes widened in absolute terror.
"Hello, Sarah," Marcus smiled, stepping into the room and closing the door.
"I must admit, you are very hard to kill."
Sarah glared at him, her protective instincts taking over completely.
"You're not taking my daughter again," she spat fiercely.
Marcus simply chuckled and aimed the gun right at Julian's head.
"I don't need the girl anymore, I just need the trust fund passwords."
He tossed a tablet onto the dusty wooden table.
"Type them in, Julian, or I shoot the mother of your child."
Julian looked at Sarah, who shook her head frantically.
"Don't do it, Julian!" she cried out.
"If you give him the money, he'll just kill us all anyway."
Julian knew she was absolutely right.
He looked around the room, desperately searching for any possible weapon.
His eyes landed on an old, rusty flare gun sitting on a shelf behind Marcus.
Julian knew he only had one incredibly risky chance to save his family.
He slowly reached for the tablet, pretending to submit.
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"Fine, I'll do it," Julian said quietly.
As Marcus lowered the gun slightly in victory, the boathouse door violently exploded off its hinges.
